FEMA Bulletin Week of February 5, 2018

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FEMA BULLETIN

February 5, 2018

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In this Edition:

Important Dates & Deadlines 

February 12

Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Webinar

February 27

National Incident Management System National Engagement Period Deadline

March 11

Draft National Mitigation Investment Strategy Public Comment Period Deadline

March 18

Youth Preparedness Council Application Deadline

FEMA Seeks Applicants for Youth Preparedness Council

FEMA announced today that it is seeking applicants for the Youth Preparedness Council, which brings together teens from across the country who are interested and engaged in community preparedness. Council members are selected based on their dedication to public service, their efforts in making a difference in their communities, and their potential to expand their impact as national leaders for preparedness. Students in 8th through 11th grade are eligible to apply.


The Youth Preparedness Council, formed in 2012, offers an opportunity for youth leaders to serve on a distinguished national council and participate in the Youth Preparedness Council Summit in Washington, D.C. During their two-year term, the leaders will complete both a local and national-level project and share their ideas regarding youth disaster preparedness with FEMA leadership and national organizations.


Youth interested in applying to the Council must submit a completed application form, provide two letters of recommendation, and academic records. All applications and supporting materials must be received no later than March 18, 2018, 11:59 p.m. PT in order to be eligible. New council members will be announced in May 2018.


To access the application materials, read about the current Council members, and for more general information about the Youth Preparedness Council visit www.ready.gov/youth-preparedness-council.


Core Capability Development Sheets Updated

FEMA updated the 48 Core Capability Development Sheets, first released in June 2017. The updated sheets provide state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions with suggestions for how to improve their core capabilities and close capability gaps identified through the Threat and Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (THIRA), the State Preparedness Report (SPR), or other capability assessments.


You can view, download, and bookmark the new version of the sheets at https://www.fema.gov/core-capability-development-sheets.

 

The improvements for February 2018 include:

- Navigation pages to improve user search and experience;

- New resource types released by the FEMA National Integration Center;

- Updated tools for Natural and Cultural Resources Core Capability; and

- Version date stamps and other minor fixes.


Spread the word on your favorite social media platforms using #corecapability, and please send questions and feedback to FEMA-TArequest@fema.dhs.gov.


Help After a Disaster for Private Non-Profits and Houses of Worship: Potential Sources of Financial Assistance Webinar

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Center for Faith-Based & Neighborhood Partnerships and FEMA invite you to a webinar on Tuesday, February 13, 2018, to learn more about potential financial assistance options for private non-profits and houses of worship after a disaster.


This webinar provides faith-based and non-profit leaders – as well as state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency managers – with an overview of FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guidance changes; the U.S. Small Business Administration's disaster assistance options for non-profits and houses of worship; and recommendations to ensure applicant organizations retain current insurance policies on their properties. Additionally, this webinar will offer practical preparedness steps you can take now to mitigate future loss or damage.

 

Help After a Disaster for Private Non-Profits and Houses of Worship: Potential Sources of Financial Assistance

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Time: 2:00 – 3:30p.m. (ET)

 

How to Join the Webinar

- Please register for the event using the Adobe Connect registration web link.

- Be sure to test your Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting.

- This webinar will offer live captioning.


Emergency Management Institute Offers an Active Shooter Virtual Tabletop Exercise

FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) Virtual Tabletop Exercise (VTTX) program will offer a Mall Active Shooter scenario on March 20 and 21. The VTTX occurs 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. ET. To participate, send an email to Doug Kahn at douglas.kahn@fema.dhs.gov or call 301-447-7645. Also, send a courtesy copy email to fema-emi-iemb@fema.dhs.gov or call 301-447-1381. The application deadline is February 9. Additional information is available at https://training.fema.gov/programs/emivttx.aspx. Content for each session is the same for all days and participants should only attend one session.


The VTTX is designed to examine the ability of federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions to an active shooter threat at a shopping mall. The focus during the VTTXs is an integrated response planning among law enforcement, medical services, emergency management, and other whole community stakeholders. The VTTX involves key personnel discussing simulated scenarios in an informal setting, and can be used to assess plans, policies, training, and procedures during a cyber security challenge.


Each month, EMI conducts a VTTX series using a Video Teleconference (VTC) platform to reach community-based training audiences around the country by providing a virtual forum for interactive disaster training.  The VTTX is designed for a group of ten or more representatives from state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management communities of practice. It provides a unique opportunity for responders across the Nation to simultaneously participate in a hazard-specific, facilitated discussion. Participants will need to connect via a site equipped with the appropriate VTC capability (not Adobe Connect or Face Time-based), but alternate ways to participate are also available upon request.


Reminder of Upcoming Deadlines

Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Webinar

FEMA is releasing the Tribal Mitigation Plan Review Guide, (Guide) which will update and supersede the existing tribal multi-hazard mitigation planning guidance issued in 2010. The updated policy document will guide how agency officials (mitigation planners) interpret regulatory requirements in their review and approval of tribal mitigation plans. The Guide will become effective on December 5, 2018. The webinar presentation on the new guide includes the basic requirements for standard and enhanced mitigation plans and the updated plan review tool. The Tribal Hazard Mitigation Plan Review Guide is available online.


Webinar information

Date: February 12, 2018

Time: 4 p.m. Eastern Standard Time


Access instructions:

Audio conference line:  800-320-4330  PIN: 905506#

Adobe weblink: https://fema.connectsolutions.com/r51hovh1mun/

Test your Adobe Connect connection prior to the meeting at https://fema.connectsolutions.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm.



FEMA and Interagency Partners Release Draft National Mitigation Investment Strategy for Public Comment

For our nation to become more resilient, we must develop a more effective and efficient way to invest in mitigation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security tasked the Mitigation Framework Leadership Group (MitFLG) to develop a National Mitigation Investment Strategy (Investment Strategy). As of January 11, the public is encouraged to review the draft Investment Strategy and provide comment. The draft Investment Strategy makes a series of recommendations, organized by six desired outcomes which, if met, could result in a nation better equipped for, and less vulnerable to, natural hazards. The draft Investment Strategy provides a national approach to investments in mitigation activities and risk management across federal, state, local, and territorial and tribal government and the private and non-profit sectors.


The draft Investment Strategy is now available on the National Mitigation Framework website at www.fema.gov/national-mitigation-framework. Comments on the draft Investment Strategy will be accepted until March 11, 2018 either through email to fema-nmis@fema.dhs.gov or through the IdeaScale site at https://fema.ideascale.com/a/ideas/recent/campaign-filter/byids/campaigns/60968.

 

To learn more about FEMA’s commitment to the National Mitigation Investment Strategy and building a true culture of preparedness across all communities, read Investing in Mitigation to Build a More Resilient Nation at www.fema.gov/blog.